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Now you might think all Indian restaurants are the same but Kolam in Tooting is somewhere which really does offer something different.

Raja, the owner and chef, prides himself on being able to cook dishes just like his mother used to make back home in Tanjore, Southern India.

Sathyan Rajakumar, part owner of Kolam Restaurant, explained how the restaurant gained its name. He said: “‘Kolam is a rice flour pattern decoration laid outside homes in Tamil Nadu in southern India to welcome guests. “We welcome our customers to share the taste experience of the chef’s authentic Tanjore cuisine.

“We specialise in producing tantalising regional South Indian food, especially curry dishes from the Tanjore district of Tamil Nadu - a region famous for its rich culture, history and cuisine.

“Our menu ranges from fiery curries, to mild and mellow meat and seafood dishes. South Indian food offers a large variety and choice for vegetarian diners too!”

You will find some familiar dishes on the menu as well as some you might not have come across before. For example starters include ‘Vadai’ – which Raja describes as a spicy doughnut. Basically the vadai is made from blackgram flour and mixed with ginger, onions and curry leaves and then deep fried. It is usually served with chutney but you can choose whether to have yours with chilled yoghurt or spiced lentils or in a pepper and garlic soup.

Something else that’s different is the Uthappam – a pizza-style pancake made with rice flour similar to a Dosai, covered with a choice of vegetable toppings and served with chutney and sambhar.

There are Dosai dishes too. This Indian starter is often served for breakfast or lunch in South India. It’s a rice flour pancake served with chutney and a spicy lentil curry.

Most of these starters are priced less than £3.

Your Local Guardian: Kolam, Tooting

There’s a wealth of choice for vegetarians. These include Poriyals – shredded vegetables, stir-fried and cooked with onions, black mustard seeds, coconut flakes and spices, and are ideal as a side dish. The chef’s special vegetarian dishes include Chana Potato Masala, Lemon & Lentil – a spicy lentil curry cooked with real lemons and black mustard seeds. Potato Keerai – Potato curry cooked with leaf spinach.

The speciality meat dishes include Fried lamb – marinated spiced pieces of lamb, stir fried with onions, or the Kolam Bhoona – lamb or chicken cooked in a medium spicy sauce with fresh tomato, capsicum and fenugreek leaves. Fish dishes include Meen Varuval – masala marinated king fish steaks fried, and served with salad, or the Fried King Prawns, king prawns stir fried in a medium hot semi-dry tomato based sauce.

The restaurant is ideally located on the high street of Tooting Bec with good parking spaces around the area. Inside the restaurant has a warm and welcoming atmosphere and a fully licensed bar serving a wide choice of wines, liqueurs, beer and soft drinks.

Kolam South Indian Restaurant:
60, Upper Tooting Road, Tooting, SW17 7PB | Tel: 020 8672 8553
Less than 5 mins walk from Tooting Bec underground station.